Expert: Jennifer Evans, MSN, CRNA - 1/18/2012

Question
QUESTION: I am currently a Junior in High school and I am interested in becoming a Anesthesiologist. I have been doing a lot of research about this career but I am not sure if this is a career for me. I know I can handle the amount of school it takes to become one and the stress level that comes with the job. I was thinking about becoming a anesthesiologist who deals with pain management but I can't seem to find any information about what all you have to do. Is it dealing with things in the operating room or seeing patients about chronic or acute pain and proscribing medications for them? Also, do you have to work as many hours as a general anesthesiologist when your dealing with pain management?

I have many more questions but I think this is enough for now.

Thank you for your time,
David

ANSWER: Hi David,
Pain Management mostly involves seeing patients with chronic pain.  You would see acute pain, and chronic pain patients and be doing things like cortisone injections as well as other regional services, and prescribing pain medication regimens.  Sometimes there is a need for a block for intraoperative & postoperative procedures depending on wheter or not your hospital also has a regional block team.

You would have to go through internship, residency and then specialize in a fellowship in a pain management track, so you would gain all the experience as an anesthesiologist for the 4 years prior to your fellowship.

Hours worked are up to your negotiating skills during a job interview, but most of the pain anesthesiologists I work with rotate between the OR and pain clinic and work the same amount of hours per week. It might be different in a clinic setting as opposed to a Teaching Hospital Setting.

**In a google search for 'pain anesthesia fellowship' I found Cleveland Clinic, Stanford, and  the AAPM as some possible sites for more information.

Hope this helps!

-Jennifer, CRNA



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes it does help a lot. But I have one more question. When working as a pain management anesthesiologist, its more of a "behind the desk" kind of job correct?

Answer
Hi David,
 Pain Management isn't really a behind the desk job.  You would be rounding on inpatients and in a clinic setting performing regional blocks and procedures for pain.  

If you are looking to just have behind a desk job and write prescriptions, maybe be a pharmacist where you would read and fill prescriptions or be a primary care physician with your own office, but that wouldn't focus just on pain.

Pain anesthesiologists do a lot of procedures.

Good luck!

-Jennifer, CRNA